While still a youth he began to earn a little money by trading in tobacco, a business much practiced in Qawalah; and during the course of his dealings he formed a close friendship with a wandering Frenchman, named Léon, who earned a precarious livelihood as a general merchant.  From Monsieur Léon he received the main portion of those scraps of general knowledge which composed his entire education; and from him he first learned of the European world in which he was destined to play a leading part. The Frenchman was considerably older than himself, and the young Albanian soon came to look up to him as a kind of hero and mentor.  Though entirely obscure, this roving merchant must have been a man of character, for in later years Muhammad `Aliy  neither forgot him nor ceased to be influenced by those friendly sentiments towards France which Monsieur Léon had instilled into him at Qawalah. It is interesting that when Muhammad `Aliy  became the ruler of Egypt he did not rest until he had discovered the whereabouts of his old friend, to whom he sent an invitation to come to Egypt, where a fortune awaited him.  Monsieur Léon, who had fallen on hard times, hastened to accept the invitation; but poverty and hardship had undermined his health, and he died on the very day of his intended departure.  Muhammad `Aliy, upon hearing the news, was much affected, and promptly sent a present of  £400 to the merchant's sister as a memento of his youthful days in Qawalah.

  At an early age the young man showed his courage and resourcefulness. The inhabitants of a village not far from Qawalah refused to pay a tax which had to be collected by the Chief Magistrate.  Muhammad `Aliy  volunteered to go and get the money by force.  With three or four men he rode over to the rebellious village.  Entering the mosque at the time of prayer, he quietly performed his devotions there, waiting until he found an opportunity to pinion the four principal inhabitants as they knelt unsuspectingly in prayer.   He then announced to the astonished congregation that if there was the slightest show of hostility on their part, his prisoners would instantly be knifed.  Thus he was able to march the four men to Qawalah where they were forced to produce the tax money.  As a reward for his services MuHammad `Aliy  was made an officer in the town guard; but nevertheless he continued to carry on his trade in tobacco, by which means he had been able to save a small amount of money.
    It might be of interest to note,without further comment, that the commander of the guard shortly afterwards died suddenly.  Whereupon Muhammad `Aliy conveniently stepped into his shoes and married his beautiful widow.  His feet were now upon the first rung of the ladder, and fortune smiled upon him. It is said that shortly before he was born a fortuneteller had informed his mother that her child would become a ruler of men; and this prophecy now had some influence upon him, whetting his ambitions and urging him to further activities.

     Already his appearance indicated to those who knew him that much was to be expected of him.  He was short, thick-set, and extremely active. He had a very fine beard and forehead, shaggy eyebrows, and deep-set gray eyes, in which, so it is said, a strange wild fire sometimes gleamed. He had a straight nose, a large but not coarse mouth, and a heavy beard and mustache.  When angry, his countenance was very terrible; but when, as was more often the case, he was in high and dashing humor, his eyes and mouth assumed an expression of droll, rather malicious fun.  His mind, as well as his body, was restless and highly strung; and there seems to have been some distinct strain of eccentricity in his character.

To be continued